The Regional Rural Development Standing Working Group (SWG) in South Eastern Europe, within the Agricultural Policy Dialogue Germany – South East Europe (APD) project, held a two-day Workshop in Ruma, Serbia.
The event gathered experts, policymakers, and representatives of ministries of agriculture from the Western Balkans and Moldova to discuss how reliable and harmonized data can strengthen agricultural policy and support EU integration efforts.
A central part of the meeting was devoted to presenting the final methodology for data collection and policy monitoring, along with several major deliverables:
- the Agricultural Policy Measures Classification (APMC) Database, which allows for cross-country comparison of policy support;
- the new Agricultural Policy Integration (API) Tool, designed to assess CAP alignment and identify policy gaps;
- the updated Statistical Database (StatDB), containing harmonized time-series data; and
- the 2024 National Policy Briefs, which summarize agricultural policy developments and reforms in each participating country.
Through open discussions and exchange of experiences, participants reaffirmed their commitment to collaboration and continuous improvement of regional data systems. The workshop concluded with the discussion of the future work plan, focusing on advancing the analytical framework, enhancing visibility of data, and supporting evidence-based policy dialogue in the region.
The meeting once again demonstrated that reliable data and regional cooperation remain key pillars for building modern, EU-aligned agricultural policies across South Eastern Europe.
